We
by Shiori Hitohana
Summary: Sasuke had just never realized it before—that “we” could be used to exclude just as easily as it could be used to include. Team 7 one-shot, no pairings.


A/N: An idea that came to me randomly, and fit with the characters of Naruto.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters therein

Dedication: This is dedicated to everyone who had to take AP exams this year.

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**Naruto: We**

It had just been a coincidence.

Naruto and Sasuke had both been traveling; both had wanted a moment's escape.

Both had sensed the approaching presence, but did nothing but to stop a few feet apart in the clearing.

Both had instantly recognized the other, but neither had reached for an actual weapon. Both hands lingered dangerously near their weapons' pouches, but both waited for the other to draw.

It was Naruto that had spoken first, in a tone that was—for him—monotonous. "We're on a different team now."

Sasuke had sneered. "Don't you mean 'We're both on different teams,' dobe? Is speaking properly that difficult for you?"

Unlike the Naruto of Sasuke's past, of several years ago, this Naruto stared at him levelly rather than replying with an insult. "No. I was talking about Sakura and me."

Sasuke didn't reply—he just continued to stare at the boy who he had always thought was just another idiot.

"Kakashi's not our sensei anymore. I guess it's because we aren't as important to the village as the last _Uchiha_ was. We were always just the outcasts, the leftovers."

Sasuke frowned, but it was barely visible.

"We've gotten a lot stronger, you know. I don't understand how you could think that we'd just hold you down—Konoha's prospered all these years for a reason. And even though we sustained casualties, we've always managed to hold back the Sound, the Rock, all of the other Hidden Villages."

Sasuke still made no reply.

Naruto sighed. "Well… I suppose we'll see you soon, Sasuke. I… we won't hold back if we meet you in battle."

And with that Naruto walked away, leaving Sasuke to the solitude he thought he had wanted.

Something about the conversation was bothering Sasuke, but he couldn't understand what it was. It was not the tone, nor was it the lack of violence.

With a start, he realized the truth. It had been Naruto's choice of words. That he had used "we" to refer to the remnants of Team 7, and to all of Konoha, and had refused to include Sasuke.

It shouldn't have bothered him that much—he had purposefully left both.

It wasn't that big of a deal.

Sasuke had just never realized it before—that "we" could be used to exclude just as easily as it could be used to include. And the possibility that Naruto had done it on purpose…

It hurt.

Sasuke stood to his full height, refusing to slouch, despite the shame that was plaguing his mind. He closed his black eyes slowly and tilted his head up to bask it in the sun.

Perhaps, he considered a moment later, he wanted to know that the sun still would shine down on him too, still include him in that global circle, if nothing else.

Having tried once to break all his bonds, this made him frown. What had the point been? He still was not alone; he couldn't stand being alone, and never had been able to for long ever since he was just a child.

He wondered what Orochimaru would say if he realized that Sasuke had always been as weak as Naruto.

He realized then that Naruto had won this confrontation.

Unlike all of his previous encounters, where Naruto had tried to literally beat sense into Sasuke, this time, Naruto hadn't tried. He had sounded tired…and resigned.

Sasuke realized then that Naruto would never allow him to gain the Mangenkyo sharingan. Naruto wouldn't give up, because if he did, he would feel that he had stopped being Sasuke's friend. Naruto would kill himself before that would happen.

And he had demonstrated it by showing that Sasuke would no longer be included—that Sasuke was no longer a part of Naruto's "we," and that he never would be until he returned to serve Konoha.

The realization that he still wanted to be included in "we" surprised him.

Sasuke turned and began to walk.

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A/N: And there it is; it's purposefully ambiguous, so if you want, you can tell me what you think that Sasuke ended up doing, but neither answer is right.


End file.
